Snow remover with slurry disposal

ABSTRACT

A fluid containing insulated reservoir or tank is mounted on a vehicle chassis having an engine thereon, a hydraulic pressure means and a control cab. A roadway cleaning apparatus, comprising a forwardly open horizontally disposed substantially cylindrical screw conveyor surrounding housing, is pivotally mounted transversely of the forward end portion of the vehicle chassis for vertical pivoting movement about a horizontal axis. A discharge tube connects the central portion of the conveyor housing to the tank. Heat transfer means supported by the chassis extends into the tank for heating contained slurry and melting snow. An agitator within the tank forms a slurry of the materials contained by the tank.

United States Patent 1 Krickovich [451 Feb. 18, 1975 1 1 SNOW REMOVERWITH SLURRY DISPOSAL [76] Inventor: Eli G. Krickovich, PO. Box 106Clinton, Iowa 52732 [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 406,019

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 231,292, March2, 1972, Patv [52] U.S. C1. 37/12, 126/3435 R. [51] Int. Cl E0lh 5/10[58] Field of Search 37/12, 24; 15/83; 126/3435 R [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS I 969,716 9/1910 Weishaar et a1. 37/12 980,564l/19ll Riordan 1. 37/12 1,242,433 9/1917 Friedman 37/12 1,598,508 8/1926Saunders 37/12 3,036,391 5/1962 Kemp 37/12 3,106,792 10/1963 Park 37/123,241,253 3/1966 McKee 37/12 3,304,632 2/1967 Kotlar et a1 37/123,353,286 11/1967 Marks 1. 37/12 3,456,368 7/1969 Jacques 3,464,1289/1969 Krickovich 37/12 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 874,722 7/1971Canada 37/12 Primary E.raminerRobert E. Bagwill Assistant Examiner-E. H.Eickholt [57] ABSTRACT A fluid containing insulated reservoir or tank ismounted on a vehicle chassis having an engine thereon, a hydraulicpressure means and a control cab. A roadway cleaning apparatus,comprising a forwardly open horizontally disposed substantiallycylindrical screw conveyor surrounding housing, is pivotally mountedtransversely of the forward end portion of the vehicle chassis forvertical pivoting movement about a horizontal axis. A discharge tubeconnects the central portion of the conveyor housing to the tank.

- Heat transfer means supported by the chassis extends into the tank forheating contained slurry and melting snow. An agitator within the tankforms a slurry of the materials contained by the tank.

6 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBIBIQTS V I I 1 866 340 SHEET 10F5 J mama E 8W5 j 3. see 340 sum 3 OF 5 was I Pmimenrw w 3.866.340

- SHEET 50F 5 FIG.9

1 SNOW REMOVER WITH SLURRY DISPOSAL CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATION This application is a division of an application filed by mein the US. Pat. Office on Mar. 2, 1972, Ser. No.

231,292, for Snow Remover And Sweeper With Slurry Disposal now U.S. Pat.No. 3,766,586.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the removal of snow from streets androadways as a result of snow storms it is present practice, generally,to employ a snowplow or in some instances graders which move the snowoff the street into piles or rows which later must be picked up by aloader and disposed of by dump trucks. This type of operation is timeconsuming and expensive in man hours and necessary equipment and,furthermore, is a comparatively slow process of snow removal.

It is desirable from an environmental viewpoint to provide a selfcontained machine for removing and disposing of snow such as by meltingit by mixing it with water to form a slurry to be discharged into astorm sewer drain which is usually connected with a filtration plant.

Conventional street sweepers have a relatively small storage capacityand, therefore, similarly require the service of pickup and disposalunits.

This invention simplifies the above steps of removing and disposing ofsnow by providing a single mobile machine which picks up the snow andmelts it in a relatively large thirty-five dump truck load capacityinsulated tank which is periodically drained into a storm sewer, or thelike, thus eliminating the use of a loader and dump trucks as well assaving time and wear of such equipment by converting the snow to wateras it is removed from the roadway.

2. Description Of The Prior Art The most pertinent prior patent is myUS. Pat. No. 3,464,128 which discloses a screw conveyor snowplowcommunicating with a snow receiving tank heated by burner means andincluding rotating agitators for mixing snow and water contained by thetank.

The principal distinction of this invention over my prior patent andcopending application is that this screw conveyor comprises oppositecooperating screw conveyors having their outer edge curved toward thedirection of rotation for moving snow toward impeller blades alignedwith a discharge tube connected, at one end, medially the length of theconveyors and communicating, at its other end, with a relatively largesnow receiving tank disposed rearwardly of the conveyors.

Heat transfer means, including a helical coil is placed within the snowand trash receiving tank, which liquifies snow received by the tank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An insulated relatively large capacity tank issupported by a truck chassis rearwardly of an engine and control cab. Aroadway cleaning apparatus, including longitudinally aligned oppositelydisposed screw conveyors connected with impeller blades and supported bya cylindrical housing, is transversely mounted across the lower frontend portion of the truck chassis for vertical pivoting movement towardand away from the surface of the earth. The housing is provided with adischarge tube extending upwardly and rearwardly toward the tank top. Aheat transfer means supported by the truck chassis includes anantifreeze fluid containing coil extending into the tank in spacedrelation with respect to its inner wall surface. Agitator blades withinthe tank churns snow and water contained by the tank to form a slurry.Most of the water is periodically drained from the tank by a drain valvelocated within the tank. The tank includes a sump portion similarlyhaving a drain valve therein for draining the sump when the apparatus isidle.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a snow removing andmelting apparatus having an improved conveyor blade configuration whichis mounted on a vehicle chassis for removing snow from streets, or thelike.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofone embodiment of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view, to a larger scale, takensubstantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken sub stantially alongthe line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken stantiallyalong the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view takensubstantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 of anotherembodiment of the apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a top view of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a front .view of FIGS. 8 and 9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, to an enlargedscale, taken substantially along the line 11-11 of FIG. 2; and,

'FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view, to an en larged scale, ofthe drain connector.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Like characters of referencedesignate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which theyoccur.

In the drawings:

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 7, the reference numeral 10indicates a substantially conventional truck chassis having an engine12, a hydraulic pump and other conventional controls, not shown, and acontrol cab 14, mounted on and supported by the forward end portion oflongtudinally extending vehicle frame members 16, in turn supported bywheels 18. Conveyor means 20 is mounted on the forward end of thechassis and connected with tank means 22, mounted on the chassisrearwardly of the cab, by tube means 24. The conveyor means 20 comprisesa substantially cylindrical horizontal housing 26 having end closingmembers 28 and 29 (FIG. 3) and having a portion of its forwardly anddownward arcuate wall removed to form a snow admitting opening 30. Ashaft 32 extends horizontally between and beyond the housing ends 28 and29 and is journalled at its respective end portions by the respectiveend portion of a pair of arms 34. The other end portions of the arms 34are respectively pivotally connected to the respective outwardlydisposed end portion of a pair of horizontally aligned support shafts 36and 37 transversely supported by the chassis so that the housing 26 maybe vertically pivoted about the horizontal axis of the shafts 36 and 37as presently explained.

A pair of hydraulic cylinders 38 are connected, respectively, to a pairof parallel braces 40 which project forwardly and upwardly from theforward limit of the tank 22 inrearward spaced relation with respect tothe housing 26. The piston end of the cylinders 38 are respectivelypivotally connected to a pair of spaced-apart ears 42 cooperativelysecured to the upper surfaces of the housing 26 for raising and loweringthe housing. Valve and tubing means, not shown, connected with thehydraulic system of the truck and the cylinders 38, are actuated by theoperator in the control cab 14 for operating the cylinders 38 andraising and lowering the conveyor means 20. Oppositely acting screwconveyors 44, secured to the shaft 32, are each connected with impellerblades 46 radially connected to the shaft 32 medially the length of thehousing. The conveyor blades are characterized by having the free edgeportion of the blade thereof arcuately curved toward the direction ofrotation to enhance the snow pickup function. The free end edge portionof the impeller blades 46 are similarly cooperatively curved. A shoe 48extends longitudinally of the housing 26 and is connected to the lowerlimit of the housing wall by bolts 50. The

shoe 48 is transversely curved on a radius complemental with thecurvature of the wall 26 of the housing for the purposes of increasingthe cylindrical wall area of the housing around the conveyors 44 andprevents contact between the conveyors 44 and a roadway surface 52.

The tube means 24 comprises a lower tubular section 54 connected withthe housing 26 around an opening 56 (FIG. 7) therein. The upwardlydirected end portion of the lower tube 56 is provided with a flangecooperatively receiving the lower flanged end portion of an inclinedintermediate flexible tube 58 which is in turn provided with a flange atits upper end and connected to the flanged end of an elbow 60 connectedto a fitting 62 communicating with an opening 61 in the tank.

The housing supporting shaft 37 forms a drive shaft for rotating theconveyors 44. The shaft 37 is drivably connected, at one end, to theengine 12 and is conventionally connected, at its other end, to one endof the conveyor shaft 32 such as by belt and pulley means, indicated bythe dotted lines 64 (FIG. 1), and shielded by a guard 66. Obviouslychain and sprocket means may be used in place of the belt and pulleymeans, ifdesired. Alternatively, a hydraulic motor 68 (FIGS. 8 and 9),supported by one arm 34 and connected with the conveyor shaft 32, may beused as a conveyor drive.

The tank means 22 includes a substantially rectangular tank 70 having abottom wall characterized by a rearward horizontal surface 72 mergingwith the rethe tank 70 to form a double walled tank having a spacebetween the outer limits of the tank 70 and inner wall surfaces of thewall panels 84 which is preferably filled with heat and cold insulatingmaterial 86. A drain pipe or hose 88 extends through the rear wall 82 ofthe tank and is connected with a conventional drain valve 90, which maybe a ball valve or wedge disk valve, for draining fluid out of the tankdown to the level of the horizontal bottom portion 72. The drain openingof the valve 90, preferably positioned slightly above the inner surfaceof the tank bottom, insures that a sufficient quantity of water remainsin the tank for dissolving snow added thereto when again placed inoperation for dissolving such snow and preventing a piling up of thesnow within the tank. The valve 90 may be manually opened by a controlwheel 92 disposed rearwardly of the tank means 22 and connected with thevalve 90 by vertical control rods 94 and 96 operated through right anglegears 98,and 100 mounted on the top of the tank means by a shaft 101.Alternatively, a reversible hy draulic motor 99, controlled from the cab14, may be connected with the valve shaft 96 for opening and closing thevalve 90 (FIGS. 8 and 9). The sump 74 has a drain valve 102 thereinconnected with a drain tube section 103 terminating inwardly of the tankmeans outer wall to prevent freezing. Access to the control of the sumpvalve 102 and drain tube 103 is gained through an access door 104 (FIGS.1 and 8) formed in an overlying outer wall panel of the tank means. Avent opening 105 (FIG. 11) is formed in the top of the tank and amanhole 106 (FIG. 4), similarly formed in the top of the tank, is closedby a lid or cover 107.

A heater H, mounted on the truck chassis forwardly of the tank means 22,is connected with one end portion of piping 108 which extends into thetank 70 along its walls, in spaced relation with respect to itshorizontal bottom portion 72 and inner wall surface, and is wound in ahelical fashion for approximately one-half the vertical height of thetank. The other end portion 109 of the piping extends through theforward wall 80 of the tank and is connected with the heater. The pipingis filled with a liquid, not shown, preferably containing an antifreezesolution. The purpose of the heater is tothermally circulate the liquid,however, the heater may be provided with a hydraulic motor driven pump P(FIG. 5), for increasing the liquid flow rate through the piping. Thepiping is supported in its helically wound fashion by standards 110connected with the inner surface of the opposing walls 78 of the tankand including U-shaped bolts 111 secured to the standards and looselysurrounding a peripheral portion of successive runs of the piping. Thepiping is preferably provided with unions, not shown, for ease inassembly and for servicing or replacing the piping.

Agitator means 112 is mounted within the tank 70 for v mixing fluid 113(FIG. 4) with snow, not shown, deposmainder of the bottom surface whichis inclined down ited in the tank. The agitator means comprises fourvertical radially spaced blades 114 each twisted l80 about itslongitudinal axis and extending from near the tank bottom to near thetank top and are secured by arms 115 to a shaft 116 in turn secured tothe top and bottom wall of the tank by bearings 118. The upper end ofthe shaft 116 projects through the top wall of the tank and is drivablyconnected to a hydraulic motor 120 operated by the truck hydraulicsystem for rotating the agitator means. The agitator means 112 is showncentrally disposed within the tank but may be disposed adjacent one ofthe tank side walls 78, if desired.

When in use, wherein snow drifts of considerable depth are encountered,a deflector or guide means 122 is connected with the conveyor housing26. The guide means 122 comprises a sheet metal panel 124 (FIG. 7) whichlongitudinally contacts the upper surface of the housing wall and isinclined upwardly and forwardly therefrom being reinforced by beads orribs 126. The respective ends of the panel 124 are connected bysubstantially triangular shaped end members 128 to the respectivehousing end walls 28 and 29. When the apparatus is moved forwardly theguide means 122 thus deflects drifted snow downwardly and rearwardlytoward the housing opening 30.

The snow pickup area of the conveyor portion may be increased laterallyby a pair of wing panels 129 connected with the opposite ends 28 and 29of the conveyor. Each of the panels 129 comprise an angle ironreinforced rectangular plate 130 removably connected pivotally at oneend by pins extending through cooperating apertured lugs secured,respectively, to the respective wing panel 129 and conveyor ends 28 and29 in vertically aligned relation. The wings 129 are held in a desiredangular position by braces 131 connected at one end with the respectivewing 129 intermediate its length and height, and connected, at theirother ends, to the rearward limit of the arms 34.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 8 and 9, a modification of theapparatus is illustrated for throwing snow laterally of the vehiclerather than depositing it in the tank means 22. This is accomplished byremoving the intermediate tubular section 58 and replacing it with anelongated flexible preferably arcuately curved tube 137 having oneflanged end connected to the flange of the housing tube portion 54 andits other end portion supported near the upper lateral limit'of the tankmeans by a clamp 132, or the like, so that snow collected by theconveyors is discharged by the thrower blades 46 through the open end ofthe elongated tube 137 to the left of the apparatus, as viewed in FIG.10.

The tank vent 105 is provided with a flanged end vent pipe 140 (FIG.11). A vent cap 142 is secured to the upwardly disposed end of the ventpipe. A suitable filter 144, having one or more screens 146, isremovably supported by the tank vent pipe by a flanged edge 148overlying the upper flanged end of the vent pipe 140 downwardly of thecap 142.

FIG. 12 illustrates an end portion of a drain tube extension 150 havinga flange 152, at one end, provided with wing nuts and bolts I54cooperatingly received by slots formed in flanged end portions of thetank drain tubes 88 and 103.

OPERATION In operation the shoe 48 is in place on the housing 26 and thedeflector 122 and wing panels 129 are attached, ifdesired. The apparatusis moved forwardly by tion a desired quantity of the water 113 is placedin the tank 74. The heater H is similarly in operation circulatingheated fluid by thermal action or the pump P through the piping coilswhich melts snow recieved by the tank with the snow mixing and meltingaction enhanced by the agitator means 112. The agitator lI2 achieves amixing and melting of the snow with very little or no heat and at atemperature at or near 32 F. as a result of the churning action.Further, since no chemicals are used in the tank stream pollution iseliminated. The level of water accumulating in the tank is preferablyvisually indicated, by a fluid level indicator. not shown, in thecontrol cab so that the operator may periodically drain the tank byopening the valve means 90.

In removing snow piled near aircraft runways, aircraft hangers or roads,one of the valves or 102 may be partially opened to drain off wateraccumulating in the tank while the row or pile of snow is being pickedup and melted. Obviously the drain hose must be arranged to direct thereleased water laterally off the traffic area.

The use of hydraulic motors for driving various components, as describedhereinabove, reduces the noise of operation of the apparatus to aminimum.

When it is desired to move the apparatus along a highway, or the like,when the snow pickup function is not being used, the braces 131 aredisconnected from their bracing relation with respect to the panels 129and the panels are pivoted about their connection with the conveyorhousing ends to be vertically disposed edgewise at the respective endsof the conveyor means 20. The hydraulic cylinders 38 are actuated tolift the conveyor means 20 upwardly above the surface of the earth.

obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alterations withoutdefeating its practicability, therefore, I do not wish to be confined tothe preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein.

I claim:

1. A roadway cleaning apparatus in combination with a prime movercomprising a vehicle chassis having an engine control means thereonincluding a control cab and having a hydraulic fluid pump, theimprovement comprising:

conveyor means transversely connected to the forward end of saidchassis,

said conveyor means including a substantially cylindrical housingdisposed horizontally adjacent the surface of the earth,

said housing having closed ends and having a coextensive downwardly andforward directed intake opening,

said housing having a rearward and upwardly directed discharge openingmedially its ends,

a pair of cooperating coaxially aligned screw conveyors extendingbetween and journalled by said housing ends, and impeller bladesinterposed between and connected, respectively, with adjacent ends ofsaid screw conveyors medially the ends of said housing, the length ofeach said impeller blade being equal with the radius of said screwconveyors,

said screw conveyors being characterized by a helical edge portiongenerating a cylindrical plane coinciding with a circular planegenerated by the outwardly directed limit of said thrower blades as theconveyors are rotated about their axis,

said helical edge portions and said impeller blades being arcuatelycurved toward the'direction of rotation; guide means'including a planarpanel coextensive with a longitudinally connected by one marginal edgeto the upper limit of said housing rearwardly of its intake opening-inforwardly and upwardly inclined relation; t a triangular shaped endmember connecting the respective ends of said panel with the respectiveclosed end of said housing; drive means including belt and pulley drivemeans ex tending between and respectively connected with said primemover and one end portion of one said screw conveyors for rotating saidscrew conveyors; rectangular fluid containing closed tank having amaterial receiving opening in its top wall and having inner and outerspaced-apart walls having heat and cold insulation therebetween mountedon said vehicle chassis rearwardly of and projecting above thehorizontal plane defining the upper limit of said control cab; Y

aligned relation by the forward end portion of said chassis; a pair ofarms pivotally connected at one end portion, respectively, to therespective outwardly disposed end portion of the respective said shaft,the other end portion of said arms being pivotally connected,respectively, with opposing end portions of said housing;

pair of braces projecting forwardly of said tank in laterally spacedrelation above said housing;

a pair of pressure operated cylinders extending between and connected,respectively, with the forward end portion of said braces'and opposingend portions of said housing for vertical pivoting move ment of saidhousing about the horizontal axis of said shafts;

a discharge tube connected, at one end, with said housing around itsdischarge opening and extending rearwardly and upward, at its other end,and connected with said tank top wall around the receiving opening;

a heater mounted on said chassis;

pair of shafts transversely journalled in coaxial piping connected withsaid heater and extending, in-

termediate its ends into said tank in spaced relation above the plane ofthe lowermost inner wall and being helically wound upwardly adjacent theinner periphery of said tank; and,

an antifreeze liquid filling said heater and said piping.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further including: an agitatorwithin said tank,

said agitator comprising a shaft extending vertically between andjournalled, respectively, by the top and bottom walls of said tank, aplurality of vertically disposed blades connected with said shaft inradially spaced-apart relation, each said blade being twisted about itslongitudinal axis substan tially and a hydraulic motor operativelyconnected with said shaft for rotating the latter about its verticalaxis.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 and further including: meansincluding drain valves and drain tubing for draining said tank.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 and further including:

a pair of wing panels pivotally secured by one end portion to theforward limit of the respective ends of said housing in verticaledgewise laterally and forwardly diverging relation; and,

brace means extending between said panels and said vehicle chassis forpreventing rearward movement of said panels with respect to saidhousing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 in which said drain valves anddrain tubing means includes:

a drain valve disposed within said tank;

a drain tube communicating with said drain valve and projectingoutwardly through one wall of said tank; and,

a control rod extending into said tank and connected with said drainvalve for opening and closing said drain valve.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 in which said tank is providedwith a vent opening in its top wall and further including a vent pipeextending into said tank through the vent opening; an air flow filterelement within said vent pipe; and, a vent cover secured to said

1. A roadway cleaning apparatus in combination with a prime movercomprising a vehicle chassis having an engine control means thereonincluding a control cab and having a hydraulic fluid pump, theimprovement comprising: conveyor means transversely connected to theforward end of said chassis, said conveyor means including asubstantially cylindrical housing disposed horizontally adjacent thesurface of the earth, said housing having closed ends and having acoextensive downwardly and forward directed intake opening, said housinghaving a rearward and upwardly directed discharge opening medially itsends, a pair of cooperating coaxially aligned screw conveyors extendingbetween and journalled by said housing ends, and impeller bladesinterposed between and connected, respectively, with adjacent ends ofsaid screw conveyors medially the ends of said housing, the length ofeach said impeller blade being equal with the radius of said screwconveyors, said screw conveyors being characterized by a helical edgeportion generating a cylindrical plane coinciding with a circular planegenerated by the outwardly directed limit of said thrower blades as theconveyors are rotated about their axis, said helical edge portions andsaid impeller blades being arcuately curved toward the direction ofrotation; guide means including a planar panel coextensive with alongitudinally connected by one marginal edge to the upper limit of saidhousing rearwardly of its intake opening in forwardly and upwardlyinclined relation; a triangular shaped end member connecting therespective ends of said panel with the respective closed end of saidhousing; drive means including belt and pulley drive means extendingbetween and respectively connected with said prime mover and one endportion of one said screw conveyors for rotating said screw conveyors; arectangular fluid containing closed tank having a material receivingopening in its top wall and having inner and outer spaced-apart wallshaving heat and cold insulation therebetween mounted on said vehiclechassis rearwardly of and projecting above the horizontal plane definingthe upper limit of said control cab; a pair of shafts transverselyjournalled in coaxial aligned relation by the forward end portion ofsaid chassis; a pair of arms pivotally connected at one end portion,respectively, to the respective outwardly disposed end portion of therespective said shaft, the other end portion of said arms beingpivotally connected, respectively, with opposing end portions of saidhousing; a pair of braces projecting forwardly of said tank in laterallyspaced relation above said housing; a pair of pressure operatedcylinders extending between and connected, respectively, with theforward end portion of said braces and opposing end portions of saidhousing for vertical pivoting movement of said housing about thehorizontal axis of said shafts; a discharge tube connected, at one end,with said housing around its discharge opening and extending rearwardlyand upward, at its other end, and connected with said tank top wallaround the receiving opening; a heater mounted on said chassis; pipingconnected with said heater and extending, intermediate its ends intosaid tank in spaced relation above the plane of the lowermost inner walland being helically wound upwardly adjacent the inner periphery of saidtank; and, an antifreeze liquid filling said heater and said piping. 2.The apparatus according to claim 1 and further including: an agitatorwithin said tank, said agitator Comprising a shaft extending verticallybetween and journalled, respectively, by the top and bottom walls ofsaid tank, a plurality of vertically disposed blades connected with saidshaft in radially spaced-apart relation, each said blade being twistedabout its longitudinal axis substantially 180*, and a hydraulic motoroperatively connected with said shaft for rotating the latter about itsvertical axis.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 and furtherincluding: means including drain valves and drain tubing for drainingsaid tank.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3 and further including:a pair of wing panels pivotally secured by one end portion to theforward limit of the respective ends of said housing in verticaledgewise laterally and forwardly diverging relation; and, brace meansextending between said panels and said vehicle chassis for preventingrearward movement of said panels with respect to said housing.
 5. Theapparatus according to claim 3 in which said drain valves and draintubing means includes: a drain valve disposed within said tank; a draintube communicating with said drain valve and projecting outwardlythrough one wall of said tank; and, a control rod extending into saidtank and connected with said drain valve for opening and closing saiddrain valve.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 in which said tank isprovided with a vent opening in its top wall and further including avent pipe extending into said tank through the vent opening; an air flowfilter element within said vent pipe; and, a vent cover secured to saidvent pipe.